Disk wheel



May 29, 1923.

A. BENSON DISK WHEEL FiledkJune 28, 1920 Patented May 29, 1923.

UNITED STATES ANDREW BENSON, OF STERLING, ILLINOIS.

DISK WHEEL.

Application filed June 28.

To all whom 2'25 may concern Be it known that l'. Axonnw BnNsoN, acitizen of the United States. residing :1 t Sterling. in the county ofllhiteside and State of l'llinois. have invented a certain new anduseful improvement in Disk Wheels, of which the following is a full,clear, concise. and exact description. reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part oi this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in disc wheels.

As is well known to those skilled in the art. sheet metal disc wheelspossess many advantages over wood spoke or wire wheels used onautomobiles. particularly because of the greater strength, longer lifeand more attractive appearance of the disc wheels as compared with theother types. There is a constantly growing demand for an etlic-ient discwheel for automobiles and particularly one which may be substituted forspoke wheels that are furnished as standard with certain makes ofautomobiles.

One object or" my invention is to provide a sheet metal disc wheel ofeconomical construction, durable, of relatively light weight andattractive in appearance.

More specifically, an object of my invention is to provide a disc wheelthat may be readily substituted for spoke wheels now commonly used oncertain makes of automobiles and with which disc wheel may bere-employed. without modification, the standard metal hub parts withsuch spoke wheels.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from thedescription hereinafter following.

In the'drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is adiametrical sectional view of a disc wheel showing my improvements, thestandard metal parts of the rear wheel of a well known make of woodspoke wheels being shown as they would be employed with my improved discwheel. Figure 2 is an elevational view of the wheel illustrated inFigure 1. Figure 3 is a broken sectional view similar to Figure 1illustrating the use of my improved wheel with the standard metal partsof a front wheel of a well known make of wood spoke wheels. And Figure 4is a view corresponding to Figure 1 illustrating said well known make ofwood spoke wheel.

In said drawing, the improved wheel is 1920. Serial No. 392,340.

shown as comprised principally of two sheet metal discs A and B and arim C. The disc A is of larger diameter than the disc B and is flangedaround its periphery as indicated at 10 to which is riveted or otherwiserigidly secured the rim (7. As will he understood by those skilled inthe art, the rim C may be of any well known or desired type. that indicated in the drawing being one which is now in very common use.

Each of the discs A and B is provided at its center with a hub openingand around said opening. the discs A and B are inwardly flanged asindicated at 11 and 12. Said flanges 11 and 12 are oppositely extendedand have their edges abutting as indicated at 13. It will be noted thatthe central portions of the discs A. and B are spaced apart and extendparallel to points indicated approximately at 14-14. From the points 14,the two discs A and B are converged as indicated at 15 and are rivetedor otherwise rigidly united as indicated at 16 around the periphery ofthe smaller disc B. Beyond the periphery of the smaller disc B, thelarger disc A is reversely bent as indicated at 17 so as to extend in aplane forming substantially a continuation of the inclined or bentsection of the smaller disc B. With this an rangement, a strong; andsubstantial hub is provided with a minimum amount of metal and the outerpart of the disc A so arranged as to readily withstand bending,torsional and other strains that are imposed thereon when the wheel isin operation.

To hold the inner parts of the two discs A and B in properly spacedrelation and also to additionally brace the same, I employ a circularlyarranged series of hollow cylindrical spacers 18-18. The two discs A andB are provided with corresponding series of perforations, theperforations being defined by relatively narrow inturned flanges 19 and20 which extend within the ends of the spacers 18 and hence hold thelatter in proper position. Preferably, the interior of one end of eachof the spacers 18 is slightly tapered as indicated at 21 and thecorresponding inturned flanges 20 of the adjacent disc (disc B in theinstance shown) formed to tit therewith.

Tn carrying out my invention. I make the diameter of the hub opening ofa size to snugly accommodate the metal hub member 22 of a well knowntype of wood spoke wheel new used on, many thousands of automobiles.Furthermore, I make the overall thickness of the disc wheel at the hubcorrespond to the thickness the wood spokes 23 (indicated in Figure 4)which are used with said well known make of wheel. in this manner, themetal hub meniher which is provided with an inner flange 24 may bere-employed with my meta-l disc wheel as may also the outer detachablespoke-securing plate 25. it will also be understood that the spaces andopenings in my improved wheel are located to correspond with thelocation of the bolts 26 used with the wood spoke type of wheelmentioned. The hub parts mentioned and the disc wheel are held. inassembled relatioinas is also the friction brake drum 27, by a pluralityof bolts :28 of suitable size to fit the openings, said bolts beingthreaded at each end to accommodate the nuts 29 and 30, the latter beingoil? a welllrnown term to exclude dust and dirt and provided with aninner hall face 31' cooperable with a corresponding washer 32.

In Figure 3, the metal hub 122 there illustratedand plate 125 are of theconstruction now commonly employed on the front wheels of the same makect automobiles. The particular make of wood spoke wheel partsillustrated in the drawings is that of the Ford automobile but there arenumerous other makes, now in use, with which. my disc wheel may be usedin combination as will beiunderstood by those skilled in the art.

It will be obvious that the two disc parts of my wheel readily lend.themselves to manufacture by die-pressing operations and hence may bemanuiactured in large quan tities at comparatively small expense. Thedisposition. Of the metal in the discs is such asto permit the use ofrelatively light gauge sheets without militatiim against the durabilityof the wheel under service conditions.

I- have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferredmanner of carrying out the invention but the same is merely illustrativeand I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within thescope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1;:As an article of manufacture, a sheet metal wheel of disc typecomprising: two

eas es discs, one of larger diameter than the other, each disc having acentral hub opening and provided with a right angular inturned flangearound said opening, the flanges extending in alinement in oppositedirections and abutting, the portions of said discs adjacent saidopening being arranged in spaced parallel relation and.convergingoutwardly thereof to the periphery of the smaller disc, thetwo discs being united around the periphery of the smaller disc. thelarger disc being adapted to be provided with a rim; a perforated hubplate abutting the outer face oi the parallel portion of one of saiddiscs; a hub member extending through said hub opening and through theperforation in said plate, and provided with a flange abutting the outerface of the parallel portion ot the other disc, the periphery of saidhub abutting the alined inturned flanges of said discs; and securingmeans for clamping said discs between the hub plate and hub flange withthe inturned right angular flanges bi said discs in abutting relation. l

2. As an article of manufacture, a sheet metal wheel of the disc typecomprising: two sheet metal. discs, one of larger diameter than theother, said discs being provided with central hub openings and inturnedflanges around the openings, the edges of said flanges abutting, saiddiscs extending parallel adjacent the hub openings and then conyeyingoutwardly thereof to points at the periphery of the smaller disc, thetwo discs being united around the periphery of the smaller disc, theportion of the larger disc beyond the points where the two discs areunited being extended in a plane forming substantially a continuation(if the plane of the outer portion of the smaller disc; and a circularlyarranged series of spacers interposed between the parallel 'portione ofthe disc around the hub openings, each of said spacers having a centralopening and the discs being perforated in alinementywith the spaceropenings, the discs having narrow inturned flanges extending within theends of the spacers.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 14th day of June, 1920;

ANDREW BENSON.

